Overview: i7 6-Core 3.3GHz @ 4.4 GHz, Dual GTX 980 Ti 6Gb, 32GB DDR4-2400 Memory, 2TB RAID1 7200RPM HDD, 1TB SSD, Custom Cooling Loop
Introduction
I wanted to build a desktop that could topple just about any consumer product while looking much, much better--at least to techies. Every component is optimized with respect to both goals while cutting needless expenses. The CPU, for instance, was chosen because it lies at the elbow of the price per dollar curve. Without adding a third chip, dual 980Ti are second only (and barely so) to dual Titan X. The motherboard chosen is the only X99 motherboard that fits the blue/green aesthetic. Likewise, there are many similar 32GB DDR4-2400 modules on the market, but the G.Skill Ripjaws looks best. The PSU is an obvious, solid choice, as is the Samsung 850 Pro 1TB SSD. According to a recent survey conducted over a large number of HDDs from various manufacturers, the Hitachi Deskstar series has the lowest fail rate, and RAID1 provides the redundancy required to keep data securely backed up. The Phanteks Enthoo Luxe is in a class of its own among cases and provides supreme water cooling support without the need for modification.
The cooling components proved more difficult to choose: finding high quality components while avoiding mixed metals to prevent galvanic corrosion is not an easy task. The Alphacool NExXxoS radiators are not truly full copper: they have soldered connections. However, of all the conventional radiators on the market, these are the purest. The Noctua radiator fans could look a bit nicer, as the brown rubber edging contrasts with the rest of the build, but they are the quietest performance fans around and thus merited inclusion. There is no real choice with the pump; both the PWM and the physical speed dial models work well. The reservoir is a vanity item; nothing else currently on the market is competitive with it in that regard. The CPU block is another vanity item: EKWB has better models, but the exclusive Supremacy MX matrix edition block fits perfectly with the aesthetic of this build. The GPU blocks and backplates are just about the only ones on the market that fit the 980 Ti. Preventing leaks is arguably the most important part of any water cooled build, given that pump failures and water blockage can not destroy other hardware components provided thermal shutdown is configured properly; every leak during this build resulted from (proper) use of barb fittings. At a few extra dollars each, the nickle plated Koolance fittings look great, work perfectly, and have minimal effects on galvanic corrosion (Bitspower True Brass fittings would be better, but they are difficult to obtain). Case fans are the same as the radiator fans; LED fans would look much better, but they would have to be run at very low speeds to prevent noise and would thus not provide proper cooling. Tubing is a real hassle: plasticizer buildup can necessitate a full tear down and cause several extra hours of work ever couple of months. Masterkleer tubing reportedly has the fewest problems on this front, but that remains to be seen, and it unfortunately does kink easily. As for coolant, distilled water and a few drops of PT Nuke is the safest bet to avoid gunking up the blocks. However, despite all involved risks of component damage and decreased cooling performance, I would like to try running cool blue BMW coolant through clear tubing one day. After all, it is still unclear whether coolants actually gunk up blocks. There has been some argument that coolants simply dye plasticizer, which in turn gunks up the blocks, thus leading owners to believe that their dyes are the culprits.
The extra aesthetic options lister are the best I could find, especially the pump mod kit. However, modding higher quality LED strips to work with the Phanteks case might provide better lighting. The cathode tubes are a must, though be careful not to break them.
Peripherals are highly personal. I am strongly biased towards Razer gear, given my past experience with the company's products. Mac users: do not let sporadic performance on OSX mislead you. Razer's software works perfectly on Windows, and I have had no problems on Linux thus far. Monitors depend entirely on your budget. I was lucky enough to come across a PN-K231 32" 4k monitor. It is truly excellent, but I do not recommend buying one, as there are several other monitors on the market of comparable quality for a fraction of the price. The Asus VS228H-P monitors, however, are a true gem. The 21.5" model sells for around $125, and the 23" model is only $20 more. Despite the price, I have no complaints about the picture quality, especially considering I bought them for extra code space. Sizes range all the way up to 27".
Parts List
Standard: {CPU, GPU, Motherboard, RAM, PSU, SSD, HDD, Case}
CPU: Intel Core i7-5820K 3.3GHz 6-Core(Overclockable past 4.5GHz)
GPU: (2-Way SLI) Asus GeForce GTX 980 Ti 6GB
Motherboard: ASRock X99 Extreme6 ATX LGA2011-3
RAM: G.Skill Ripjaws Series 32GB (4 x 8GB) DDR4-2400
PSU: EVGA SuperNOVA 1300 G2 1300W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX
SSD: Samsung 850 Pro Series 1TB 2.5"
HDD: 2X (RAID1) Hitachi Deskstar 7K2000 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM
Case: Phanteks Enthoo Luxe ATX
Cooling: {Radiators, Radiator Fans, Pump, Reservoir, CPU Block, GPU Blocks, GPU Backplates, Fittings, Case Fans, Tubing, Coolant, Biocide}
Radiator 1: Alphacool NexXxoS XT45 Full Copper 420mm
Radiator 2: Alphacool NexXxoS XT45 Full Copper 240mm
Radiator 1 Fans: 3 Noctua 140 mm PWM, AAO Frame Technology and SSO2 Bearing Fan NF-A14 industrialPPC-2000 IP67 PWM
Radiator 2 Fans: 2 Noctua SSO2 Bearing, Retail Cooling NF-F12 iPPC 2000 PWM
Pump: MCP655
Reservoir: FrozenQ LF Reaction 250mm - UV Green/UV Blue Helix
CPU Block: EK-Supremacy MX - Custom Modded Plexi - The Matrix Edition
GPU Blocks: 2X EK Water Blocks EK-FC Titan X
GPU Backplates: 2X EK-FC Titan X Backplate – Black
Fittings: 14 Koolance FIT-V10X16 Fitting Single, Compression for 10mm x 16mm (3/8in x 5/8in), G 1/4 BSPP
Case Fans: 3 Noctua 140 mm PWM, AAO Frame Technology and SSO2 Bearing Fan NF-A14 industrialPPC-2000 IP67 PWM
Tubing: Masterkleer PVC 13/10mm (3/8"ID) UV-reactive Dark Green 3,3m (10ft)
Coolant: Distilled Water
Biocide: Petra's Tech PT Nuke
Extra Aesthetics: {Pump Mod Kit, LED Strip, Cathode Tubes}
Pump Mod Kit: Bitspower D5 / MCP655 Pump Mod Kit - Blue
LED Strip: Phanteks Multi-Color LED Strips 2 Meter
Cathode Tubes: 12" Cold Cathode Case Lights - 2 Piece (Blue)
Peripherals: {Monitors, Mouse, Keyboard}
Monitor 1: PN-K321 32" Edge LED LCD Monitor
Monitors 2&3: 2X Asus VS228H-P 23" Monitor
Mouse: Razer Naga Epic Chroma
Keyboard: Razer Blackwidow Chroma Stealth
I wanted to build a desktop that could topple just about any consumer product while looking much, much better--at least to techies. Every component is optimized with respect to both goals while cutting needless expenses. The CPU, for instance, was chosen because it lies at the elbow of the price per dollar curve. Without adding a third chip, dual 980Ti are second only (and barely so) to dual Titan X. The motherboard chosen is the only X99 motherboard that fits the blue/green aesthetic. Likewise, there are many similar 32GB DDR4-2400 modules on the market, but the G.Skill Ripjaws looks best. The PSU is an obvious, solid choice, as is the Samsung 850 Pro 1TB SSD. According to a recent survey conducted over a large number of HDDs from various manufacturers, the Hitachi Deskstar series has the lowest fail rate, and RAID1 provides the redundancy required to keep data securely backed up. The Phanteks Enthoo Luxe is in a class of its own among cases and provides supreme water cooling support without the need for modification.
The cooling components proved more difficult to choose: finding high quality components while avoiding mixed metals to prevent galvanic corrosion is not an easy task. The Alphacool NExXxoS radiators are not truly full copper: they have soldered connections. However, of all the conventional radiators on the market, these are the purest. The Noctua radiator fans could look a bit nicer, as the brown rubber edging contrasts with the rest of the build, but they are the quietest performance fans around and thus merited inclusion. There is no real choice with the pump; both the PWM and the physical speed dial models work well. The reservoir is a vanity item; nothing else currently on the market is competitive with it in that regard. The CPU block is another vanity item: EKWB has better models, but the exclusive Supremacy MX matrix edition block fits perfectly with the aesthetic of this build. The GPU blocks and backplates are just about the only ones on the market that fit the 980 Ti. Preventing leaks is arguably the most important part of any water cooled build, given that pump failures and water blockage can not destroy other hardware components provided thermal shutdown is configured properly; every leak during this build resulted from (proper) use of barb fittings. At a few extra dollars each, the nickle plated Koolance fittings look great, work perfectly, and have minimal effects on galvanic corrosion (Bitspower True Brass fittings would be better, but they are difficult to obtain). Case fans are the same as the radiator fans; LED fans would look much better, but they would have to be run at very low speeds to prevent noise and would thus not provide proper cooling. Tubing is a real hassle: plasticizer buildup can necessitate a full tear down and cause several extra hours of work ever couple of months. Masterkleer tubing reportedly has the fewest problems on this front, but that remains to be seen, and it unfortunately does kink easily. As for coolant, distilled water and a few drops of PT Nuke is the safest bet to avoid gunking up the blocks. However, despite all involved risks of component damage and decreased cooling performance, I would like to try running cool blue BMW coolant through clear tubing one day. After all, it is still unclear whether coolants actually gunk up blocks. There has been some argument that coolants simply dye plasticizer, which in turn gunks up the blocks, thus leading owners to believe that their dyes are the culprits.
The extra aesthetic options lister are the best I could find, especially the pump mod kit. However, modding higher quality LED strips to work with the Phanteks case might provide better lighting. The cathode tubes are a must, though be careful not to break them.
Peripherals are highly personal. I am strongly biased towards Razer gear, given my past experience with the company's products. Mac users: do not let sporadic performance on OSX mislead you. Razer's software works perfectly on Windows, and I have had no problems on Linux thus far. Monitors depend entirely on your budget. I was lucky enough to come across a PN-K231 32" 4k monitor. It is truly excellent, but I do not recommend buying one, as there are several other monitors on the market of comparable quality for a fraction of the price. The Asus VS228H-P monitors, however, are a true gem. The 21.5" model sells for around $125, and the 23" model is only $20 more. Despite the price, I have no complaints about the picture quality, especially considering I bought them for extra code space. Sizes range all the way up to 27".
Parts List
Standard: {CPU, GPU, Motherboard, RAM, PSU, SSD, HDD, Case}
CPU: Intel Core i7-5820K 3.3GHz 6-Core(Overclockable past 4.5GHz)
GPU: (2-Way SLI) Asus GeForce GTX 980 Ti 6GB
Motherboard: ASRock X99 Extreme6 ATX LGA2011-3
RAM: G.Skill Ripjaws Series 32GB (4 x 8GB) DDR4-2400
PSU: EVGA SuperNOVA 1300 G2 1300W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX
SSD: Samsung 850 Pro Series 1TB 2.5"
HDD: 2X (RAID1) Hitachi Deskstar 7K2000 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM
Case: Phanteks Enthoo Luxe ATX
Cooling: {Radiators, Radiator Fans, Pump, Reservoir, CPU Block, GPU Blocks, GPU Backplates, Fittings, Case Fans, Tubing, Coolant, Biocide}
Radiator 1: Alphacool NexXxoS XT45 Full Copper 420mm
Radiator 2: Alphacool NexXxoS XT45 Full Copper 240mm
Radiator 1 Fans: 3 Noctua 140 mm PWM, AAO Frame Technology and SSO2 Bearing Fan NF-A14 industrialPPC-2000 IP67 PWM
Radiator 2 Fans: 2 Noctua SSO2 Bearing, Retail Cooling NF-F12 iPPC 2000 PWM
Pump: MCP655
Reservoir: FrozenQ LF Reaction 250mm - UV Green/UV Blue Helix
CPU Block: EK-Supremacy MX - Custom Modded Plexi - The Matrix Edition
GPU Blocks: 2X EK Water Blocks EK-FC Titan X
GPU Backplates: 2X EK-FC Titan X Backplate – Black
Fittings: 14 Koolance FIT-V10X16 Fitting Single, Compression for 10mm x 16mm (3/8in x 5/8in), G 1/4 BSPP
Case Fans: 3 Noctua 140 mm PWM, AAO Frame Technology and SSO2 Bearing Fan NF-A14 industrialPPC-2000 IP67 PWM
Tubing: Masterkleer PVC 13/10mm (3/8"ID) UV-reactive Dark Green 3,3m (10ft)
Coolant: Distilled Water
Biocide: Petra's Tech PT Nuke
Extra Aesthetics: {Pump Mod Kit, LED Strip, Cathode Tubes}
Pump Mod Kit: Bitspower D5 / MCP655 Pump Mod Kit - Blue
LED Strip: Phanteks Multi-Color LED Strips 2 Meter
Cathode Tubes: 12" Cold Cathode Case Lights - 2 Piece (Blue)
Peripherals: {Monitors, Mouse, Keyboard}
Monitor 1: PN-K321 32" Edge LED LCD Monitor
Monitors 2&3: 2X Asus VS228H-P 23" Monitor
Mouse: Razer Naga Epic Chroma
Keyboard: Razer Blackwidow Chroma Stealth
